Method of preserving sensitized photographic surfaces and articles



F. P. McCOLL AND W. W. WILLISON.

METHOD OF PRESERVING SENSITIZED PHOTOGRAPHIC SURFACES AND ARTICLE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.31. 1918.

1,844,240. Patented June 22,1920.

m 5M L Z 1 '5 2 L I 4 Z- 1 fiii f i \9\ Z,IEI\I ATTO PNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. FRANCIC 1?. MoCOLL, OF RIDGrEWDOD, NEW JE RSEY, AND WALTER WILLIAM WILLISON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNORS TO THERMOKEPT PRODUCTS CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.,

A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

METHOD OF PRESERVING SENSITIZED PHOTOGRAPHIC SURFACES AND ARTICLES.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, FRANCIS P. MoCoLL a citizen of Canada, and a resident 0 Ridgewood, in the county of Ber en and State of New Jersey, and WALTER ILLIAH VVILLIsON a citizen of the United States, and a resident of New York, in the county of New York and Stateof New York have invented a certain new and useful lVfethod of Preserving Sensitized Photographic Surfaces and Articles, of which the ollowing is a specification.

Our invention relates to preserving sensitized photographic surfaces, so as to protect them from deterioration, and to permit them, to be kept at one place for any desiredperiod, but more particularly, to

permit the sensitized photo aphic surfaces to be vended with practical y no restriction upon the date when they will have to be used or developed. And this without recarton on which is usually stam gard to the ordinary temperatures experienced at any place on the surface bf the earth, or to any degree of moisture.

- Our invention further relates to the pack- .age or packed photographic surface as an article of manufacture. 7

It is a matter of common knowledge that the ordinary sensitized photograph c surfaces, whether they be in a form of a film or .in the from of a plate, are. almost invariably sold with a restriction, stating that they must be used and developed on or before a certain date stamped on the package or container. This date varies according to the market in which the goods are sold. In a hot damp climate the consumer is notified to use the photographic surfaces at an earlier date than the same surface is re'- quired to be used in a cooler climate.

When these sensitized photogra hic surfaces are put up in the orm of lms, for example, to form a cartrid e, great care hasto be exercised to keep them as dry as possible. It is customary to wrap them in figu The cartin foil and also in oil paper. tridgeso wrapped is then put in a spa:

number of the film,- as a check in case any claim is made for replacement due to the failure or deterioration of the film. ;A further check is the date which is also stamped Specification of Letters latent.

Patented June 22, 1920.

Application filed January 31, 1918. Serial No. 214,620.

the manufacturer because air, heat, and

moisture will, in that market, after the time stamped on the carton, so affect the silver salts in the gelatin, or onithe photographic surface, that a chemical action is setup either rendering the photographic surface valueless, or so deteriorating it-that it will not make a clear picture.

If the deterioration has not proceeded to the. point of totally ruining the surface, it may be affected locally forming spots which on the photographs, printed from the negatives, form black dots, spots or blotches depending upon the degree of deterioration.

By our invention we insure the preservation of the sensitized photographic surface, regardless of the time when lt has to be developed, and regardless of the temperature, or moisture to which it may be subjected. We furthermore save the expense of the tin foil and oil paper, as well as the labor and the time ,required for wrappin the cartridges. We also have the expense 0 the carton in which the wrapped cartridge before any particular date. The manufacturer, can t erefore safely have a large reserve k' ready, to meet anyiunexpected demand. 5 v a In the accompanying :drawing we have shown how'our method may be carried out.

In these fi the same reference numerals graphic 7 surfaces, if put up in accordance with our invention, do not have to be sold and used,

refer to! e similar'parts in the several Figlire 1 is a vertical section through a contamer, in the form of a can, inclosing a sensitized photographic surface,- known in the trade as a cartridge. I Fig. 2 is a vertical section similar to, Fig.

1, show a nonemetallic liner to insulate the cartri from the cans or container,

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, similar to Fig. 2, but in addition showing in vertical section two additional paper disks which also may be used-to further insulate the cartridge from the can.

Fig. 4 is a vertical section through a container orcan showing sensitized photographic surfaces in the form of plates.

y our invention we take the sensitized photographic surface, as for example, the cartridge 1 and place it in a container 2 which is usually and preferably a metal can. We then create a vacuum, or partial vacuum, in the can and then seal the metal cover 3 upon the can while maintaining the vacuum or partial vacuum in the can. Of course different apparatus may be used for this purpose.

Preferably we use a vacuum canning machine (not shown) which is now well known in the trade, and which in one operation exhausts the air from the can and then seals the cover upon it.

In using our method we preferably use a high vacuum. We have obtained perfect results with a vacuum from about 28 to 30 inches, though of course we do not desire to be limited to any particular degree of vacuum except such as will adequately protect the sensitized photographic surface. The vacuum serves not only as a non-conductor of heat, but also prevents air from coacting with the silver salts of the sensitized photographic surface which would cause the same to deteriorate.

The metal ends 4, 4 of the cartridge usually are of greater diameter than the wound photographic film leaving quite an appreciable space 5 which further actsas a non-conductor.

In some cases we may place a non-metallic liner 6 in the container or can 2 to further protect and insulate the cartridge, Fig. 2. In addition to this insulation 6 we also may use one or more separate paper disks 7, 7,

to still further insulate the cartridge and particularly the metal ends 4, 4.

When the cap 3 is applied the central portion 8 of the cap is slightly convex. When the package emerges from the vacuum canning machine and is again subjected to atmospheric pressure, this atmospheric pressure will immediately dish the portion 8 of the cap into substantially the position shown in the figures of the drawing and in doing so will exert a slight pressure upon the cartridge sufiicient, to prevent therattling of the cartridge in the can. If desired the portion 8 of the cap may be dished into position to eXert a slight pressure upon the cartridge by mechanical means.

In Fig. 4: we have shown our method applied to photographic plates 9, 9 mounted in the can 10 having the cover 11.

Having thus described our invention to the details of which we do not desire to be limited, what is claimed as new, and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is set forth in the appended claims.

1. The method of preserving a sensitized photographic surface consisting in placing it with its support in a container, exhausting the air from the container, sealing a cover on the container while the air is exhausted from the container, whereby when exposed to atmospheric pressure the cover will dish into engagement with the support for the photographic surface.

2. An article of manufacture comprising a container from which the air is exhausted, a photographic film, and a support for said film within said container the cover of said container having a flexible portion to maintain the film and its support stationary relativel to the container.

FRANCIS R. MoCOLL. \VALTER WILLIAM WVILLISON. lVitnesses:

CHRYs'rINE GLAsER, JAMES F, KELLY. 

